Team is hiring celebrity chef and seeking a high-rise location with a great view.
Could Knicks super fan Spike Lee be part of the official wooing party when LeBron James becomes a free agent on July 1?LeBron James has closely guarded his plans once his much-celebrated free agency starts next week. But the New York Knicks are making preparations like they are expecting to host his first stop.
According to a source, the Knicks are making plans to host an elaborate meal and meeting with James in a high-end location in Manhattan during the afternoon and evening of July 1, which is next Thursday. The tentative plan is for Knicks management and officials to host James and his various agents and friends for a large dinner party catered by a celebrity chef.
The Knicks are currently scouring the city for an available high-rise condo or apartment with a great view to rent for the event, the source said.
James is expected to be bombarded by interest once midnight passes on July 1, and his top suitors likely would all like to host him for a visit. The Knicks' bid has gotten a boost of support from Mayor Michael Bloomberg, in addition to various groups that are attempting to gather celebrities to make personal pitches to James.
The potential recruiting visits are not unlike what James went through when he was 18 and being chased by Reebok, Adidas and Nike. The companies chartered private jets to fly James to meetings and put on expensive proposals to sign him. Not unlike the Knicks plan, Adidas rented out a Malibu mansion with a great view for James and his friends for a weekend during his senior year at St. Vincent-St. Mary.
After taking all the visits and getting competing bids that topped nine figures, James signed with Nike, the company he favored all along. Nike was the last visit he made.
Ironically, with the chance to sign for more than $120 million if he re-signs for the maximum with the Cavs, James is in much the same position.